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Exceptional mobility of an advancing rhyolitic obsidian flow at Cordón Caulle volcano in Chile
Obsidian lava flows accompanied some of Earth’s most powerful eruptions, yet an active advancing flow field has never been observed. Tuffen et al.present four-dimensional models of the lava flow following the 2011 eruption of Cordón Caulle, Chile, and provide new insights into silicic lava flow dynamics.
- Hugh Tuffen
- , Mike R. James
- & C. Ian Schipper
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Palaeoclimate reconstructions reveal a strong link between El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Tropical Pacific mean state
The El Niño-Southern Oscillation is one of the largest sources of global climate variability, yet our understanding relative to the Topical Pacific mean state is poor. Here, geochemical analyses of marine plankton reveal a strong link between zonal sea-surface temperatures and ENSO variability.
- Aleksey Yu Sadekov
- , Raja Ganeshram
- & Alexander W. Tudhope
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| Open AccessRapid regional perturbations to the recent global geomagnetic decay revealed by a new Hawaiian record
The Earth’s geomagnetic field has weakened in recent centuries, leading to calls for historic reconstructions; however, records are sparse and unevenly distributed. de Groot et al.provide a new, high-quality record from Hawaiian lavas, revealing crucial insights into past geomagnetic field fluctuations.
- L. V. de Groot
- , A. J. Biggin
- & E. Herrero-Bervera
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Evidence for the alkaline nature of parental carbonatite melts at Oka complex in Canada
With the exception of one occurrence, carbonatites worldwide are curiously deficient in alkalis. Here, Chen et al.present new melt inclusion data from plutonic relics in Canada that hint at a wider prevalence of alkali-enriched parental carbonatite in the geological record than previously thought.
- Wei Chen
- , Vadim S. Kamenetsky
- & Antonio Simonetti
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| Open AccessNatural gold particles in Eucalyptus leaves and their relevance to exploration for buried gold deposits
The discovery of new gold deposits has declined by 45% over the past 10 years. Lintern et al.present new evidence for the occurrence of particulate gold in trees growing above buried mineral deposits, and propose vegetation sampling as a mineral exploration method.
- Melvyn Lintern
- , Ravi Anand
- & David Paterson
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| Open AccessSequestration of Martian CO2 by mineral carbonation
The mechanism by which Mars lost its early dense and carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere remains relatively unknown. Here, via mineralogical analysis of the Lafayette Martian meteorite, Tomkinson et al. infer that carbonation was an effective carbon dioxide sequestration mechanism on an early, water-rich Mars.
- Tim Tomkinson
- , Martin R. Lee
- & Caroline L. Smith
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Source time function properties indicate a strain drop independent of earthquake depth and magnitude
Earthquakes occur on a broad range of depths and magnitudes, making their origins and impacts difficult to assess. Here, the analysis of 1,700 earthquakes reveals that strain drop is globally invariant, providing constraints on the rupture process and simplifying the task of earthquake damage predictions.
- Martin Vallée
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| Open AccessOsmium isotope evidence for a large Late Triassic impact event
Before the mass extinction that characterized the Late Triassic period, there were a series of biotic turnover events, the cause of which are the subject of debate. Sato et al. present geochemical evidence in support of the theory that extraterrestrial impacts had an important role in these events.
- Honami Sato
- , Tetsuji Onoue
- & Katsuhiko Suzuki
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Oblique subduction modelling indicates along-trench tectonic transport of sediments
Sedimentation along convergent plate margins, the destructive sites of tectonic plate collision, is poorly understood. Malatestaet al.use a cutting-edge three-dimensional subduction model to demonstrate that the trench-parallel motion of sediments has a much more important role than previously thought.
- Cristina Malatesta
- , Taras Gerya
- & Giovanni Capponi
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| Open AccessTime-calibrated Milankovitch cycles for the late Permian
The astronomical time scale is an essential geochronological tool, but is presently limited to the Cenozoic and Mesozoic eras. Here, Wuet al.time-calibrate Milankovitch cycles identified in strata from South China and extend this essential tool into the late Permian.
- Huaichun Wu
- , Shihong Zhang
- & Tianshui Yang
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| Open AccessNoble metal nanoclusters and nanoparticles precede mineral formation in magmatic sulphide melts
It has long been suggested, but never shown, that nanometre-sized particles precede mineral formation in magmatic systems. Here, Helmyet al.demonstrate that platinum and arsenic self-organize to nanoparticle precursors in magmatic liquids before mineral crystallization.
- Hassan M. Helmy
- , Chris Ballhaus
- & Marian Tredoux
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Flow velocities of Alaskan glaciers
Alaskan mountain glaciers are losing ice and contribute to sea level rise, but contributions from specific ice-loss mechanisms are not known. Here, calving losses in Central Alaska are found to equal 36% of the net regional mass change each year and regional flux is dictated largely by snow accumulation rates.
- Evan W. Burgess
- , Richard R. Forster
- & Christopher F. Larsen
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| Open AccessThe importance of stress percolation patterns in rocks and other polycrystalline materials
All rocks contain patterns, but how they form is not clear. Here, finite element models are used to show that grain-to-grain variations in elastic moduli cause stress to percolate in polycrystalline materials, causing shear localization and providing a template for foliation development in rocks.
- P.C. Burnley
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| Open AccessRapid changes in the electrical state of the 1999 Izmit earthquake rupture zone
Low-resistivity crustal fluids occur near fault zones, but their relation to earthquake generation is unclear. Here, electromagnetic data from the Izmit earthquake reflects the pressure-induced transition between isolated and interconnected fluids that is linked to foreshocks before large earthquakes.
- Yoshimori Honkura
- , Naoto Oshiman
- & Elif Tolak Çiftçi
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Fossilized iron bacteria reveal a pathway to the biological origin of banded iron formation
Debates on the formation of banded iron formations (BIFs) in ancient iron-rich oceans are dominated by contradictions between biological and non-biological iron cycling. This study provides environmental evidence that directly implicates photosynthetic iron-oxidizing microorganisms in vast-scale BIF deposition.
- Ernest Chi Fru
- , Magnus Ivarsson
- & Marco Stampanoni
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Upper mantle viscosity and dynamic subsidence of curved continental margins
The evolution of continental rifting curvature can be studied using thermal convection models. Studying how this curvature controls the subsidence of offshore basins, Sacek and Ussami find that the mantle viscosity structure affects the subsidence rate and evolution of sedimentary basins along curved margins.
- Victor Sacek
- & Naomi Ussami
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An earthquake gap south of Istanbul
The North Anatolian Fault Zone in Turkey has produced many large earthquakes, however the Marmara region has been inactive and is facing a high probability for a large earthquake. Here, Bohnhoff et al. report on a large seismicity gap in this area with implications for a seismic hazard for Istanbul.
- Marco Bohnhoff
- , Fatih Bulut
- & Mustafa Aktar
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Inferred time- and temperature-dependent cation ordering in natural titanomagnetites
Cation ordering in cubic-structured oxides can strongly affect magnetic properties. Here, the authors show that in some natural titanomagnetites, large and reversible changes in Curie temperature result from annealing at moderate temperatures (350–400 °C), most likely arising from changes in cation ordering.
- Julie A. Bowles
- , Mike J. Jackson
- & Jeffrey S. Gee
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A new Late Triasssic phytogeographical scenario in westernmost Gondwana
In the Late Triassic, southern Gondwanan flora is thought to have been dominated by endemic species mainly restricted to eastern areas with some mixing with northern species. In this study, pollen and spore assemblages from Argentina reveal the presence of these mixed flora in the westernmost Gondwana as well.
- Silvia N Césari
- & Carina E Colombi
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Pyroclastic passage zones in glaciovolcanic sequences
Subglacial volcanoes host passage zones that can be used to define high stands of englacial lakes and paleo-ice thickness. This study identifies a pyroclastic passage zone in a subglacial volcano, which may help calculate transient paleolake levels and improve estimates of paleo-ice thickness.
- James K. Russell
- , Benjamin R. Edwards
- & Lucy A. Porritt
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Biological carbon precursor to diagenetic siderite with spherical structures in iron formations
The role of bacteria in the origin of iron formations (IF) remains unclear because no direct evidence for their involvement exists. This study shows that spherical siderite in deep-water IF represents a biosignature for photoferrotrophy, whereas massive siderite reflects high cyanobacterial biomass in shallow-water.
- Inga Köhler
- , Kurt O Konhauser
- & Andreas Kappler
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Discovery of seifertite in a shocked lunar meteorite
Few high-pressure polymorphs have been found from lunar meteorites even though the moon has experienced heavy meteorite bombardment. This study presents evidence of a high-pressure polymorph of silica—seifertite—from a lunar meteorite; a record of an intense planetary collision on the moon ~2.7 Ga ago.
- Masaaki Miyahara
- , Shohei Kaneko
- & Naohisa Hirao
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Louisville seamount subduction and its implication on mantle flow beneath the central Tonga–Kermadec arc
Seamounts that have subducted beneath a mantle wedge allow the study of trace element recycling and mantle flow in subduction zones. Here, a geochemical analysis of central Tonga–Kermadec arc lavas suggests primarily trench-normal mantle flow in the mantle wedge beneath the central Tonga–Kermadec arc.
- Christian Timm
- , Daniel Bassett
- & Anthony B. Watts
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Early Cretaceous chalks from the North Sea giving evidence for global change
Calcareous nannofossils were important marine primary producers in Jurassic and Cretaceous oceans at low latitudes. Here, North Sea sediment records reveal that favourable conditions for nannoconids existed also at high latitudes, and nannoconids faced global decline at the onset of greenhouse conditions.
- Jörg Mutterlose
- & Cinzia Bottini
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Seismic detection of increased degassing before Kīlauea's 2008 summit explosion
The onset of the ongoing summit eruption at Kilauea Volcano was associated with changes in seismic anisotropy and increased gas flux. This study shows that seismic anisotropy variations are also a function of alterations in stress conditions, and provides a new method for tracking gas flux using seismic observations.
- Jessica H. Johnson
- & Michael P. Poland
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Nitrogen cycle feedbacks as a control on euxinia in the mid-Proterozoic ocean
Clear evidence between sulphidic conditions and denitrification in the Proterozoic ocean should be observable in the rock record. Here, minimalistic biogeochemical modelling shows how periods of extensive sulphate reduction must have gone hand-in-hand with low denitrification and available nitrate.
- R.A. Boyle
- , J.R. Clark
- & T.M. Lenton
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| Open AccessSolar wind entry into the high-latitude terrestrial magnetosphere during geomagnetically quiet times
A full understanding of the penetration of solar wind plasma into the Earth’s magnetosphere, during geomagnetically quiet times, remains elusive. Using multi-spacecraft data, Shi et al.find unexpected entry of the solar wind into the high-latitude magnetosphere and suggest a probable entry mechanism.
- Q.Q. Shi
- , Q.-G. Zong
- & E. Lucek
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Effect of iron oxidation state on the electrical conductivity of the Earth’s lower mantle
In the Earth’s lower mantle, pressure changes can cause spin transitions of iron, in turn influencing mantle properties. Here a new Mössbauer spectroscopy method is applied to show that Fe3+remains in the high-spin state at pressure–temperature conditions relevant for the lower mantle.
- V. Potapkin
- , C. McCammon
- & L. Dubrovinsky
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Constraining timescales of focused magmatic accretion and extension in the Afar crust using lava geochronology
In mature continental rifts, magma intrusion appears to accommodate significant crustal extension. Here, radiometric ages for lavas suggest that this style of focused magmatic accretion and rifting remained stable in the Ethiopian crust for at least ~200 kyr, prior to the onset of true oceanic spreading.
- David J. Ferguson
- , Andrew T. Calvert
- & Tim J. Wright
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The Tissint Martian meteorite as evidence for the largest impact excavation
High-pressure minerals in meteorites reflect the conditions prevailing when they were excavated and launched from their parent bodies. Tissint—a recent Martian meteorite—contains an unusual number of large high-pressure minerals, suggesting excavation from an impact of larger magnitude than for previous Martian samples.
- Ioannis P. Baziotis
- , Yang Liu
- & Lawrence A. Taylor
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| Open AccessHigh heat flow and ocean acidification at a nascent rift in the northern Gulf of California
Active seafloor spreading has been documented in some of the tectonically active basins of the Gulf of California. This work presents new geophysical and geochemical data as evidence that active seafloor spreading is also occurring in the northernmost Wagner and Consag basins of the Gulf.
- Rosa Ma Prol-Ledesma
- , Marco-Antonio Torres-Vera
- & Carlos Robinson
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A four-dimensional X-ray tomographic microscopy study of bubble growth in basaltic foam
Changes in bubble foam structure influence magma strength. Here, Bakeret al. measure bubble size and wall thickness of basaltic foams and find that basaltic magmas are most likely to fail immediately upon vesiculation, but a permeability increase within a few seconds may reduce the risk of explosive eruptions.
- Don R. Baker
- , Francesco Brun
- & Mark Rivers
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Reconstructing plate-motion changes in the presence of finite-rotations noise
Reconstructing short-term plate-motion changes through time provides important geodynamical information, but data noise is a problem at fine temporal resolution. This study presents a trans-dimensional hierarchical Bayesian framework that eliminates noise without loss of temporal resolution.
- Giampiero Iaffaldano
- , Thomas Bodin
- & Malcolm Sambridge
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The origin of pelletal lapilli in explosive kimberlite eruptions
Kimberlites are volatile-rich magmas that form diverging pipes containing pelletal lapilli - well rounded clasts that consist of an inner seed particle. Gernonet al. suggest that pelletal lapilli are formed when fluid volatile-rich melts intrude into earlier volcaniclastic infill close to the diatreme root zone.
- T.M. Gernon
- , R.J. Brown
- & T.K. Hincks
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Stress-induced chemical waves in sediment burial diagenesis
Dolomite sedimentary rock has lateral metre-scale periodic variations in porosity and composition, which may provide information on formation and transformation. This study suggests that such variations are fossilized chemical waves emerging from stress-mediated mineral-water interaction during sediment burial diagenesis.
- Yifeng Wang
- & David A. Budd
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| Open AccessHydrothermal vent fields and chemosynthetic biota on the world's deepest seafloor spreading centre
The Mid-Cayman Spreading Centre is an ultraslow-spreading mid-ocean ridge in the Caribbean. This study reveals two hydrothermal vent fields on the ridge, including high-temperature vents on an off-axis oceanic core complex where, similar to Mid-Atlantic vents, an alvinocaridid shrimp is common at both vent fields.
- Douglas P. Connelly
- , Jonathan T. Copley
- & Sally Wilcox
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River-margin habitat of Ardipithecus ramidus at Aramis, Ethiopia 4.4 million years ago
The habitat where early humans, hominins, lived provides information about the early part of human evolution. In this study, sedimentological and stable carbon and oxygen isotope data suggest homininArdipithecus ramiduslived in a river-margin forest in a wooded grassland landscape at Aramis, Ethiopia.
- M. Royhan Gani
- & Nahid D. Gani
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Migrating deformation in the Central Andes from enhanced orographic rainfall
Active shortening in the Central Andes shifted from the western to the eastern margin between 10-7 Myr ago, but the mechanism of formation is still unclear. Here, using critical wedge theory and local-scale fault friction calculations, this shift is proposed to have been controlled by changes in erosion patterns.
- Kevin Norton
- & Fritz Schlunegger
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Sauropod dinosaur osteoderms from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar
Osteoderms are bones embedded within the dermis and are common in reptiles. Here, two osteoderms from the sauropod dinosaur Rapetosaurus indicate that the largest osteoderm known has an internal cavity equivalent to half its total volume and may have functioned as a mineral reserve in harsh environmental conditions.
- Kristina Curry Rogers
- , Michael D'Emic
- & Amanda Cagan
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Osmium evidence for synchronicity between a rise in atmospheric oxygen and Palaeoproterozoic deglaciation
The Early Palaeoproterozoic saw glaciations and a rise in atmospheric oxygen, but the link between these two changes is poorly understood. Here, osmium isotope records from sedimentary rocks indicate synchronicity between an episode of increasing oxygen and a glacial transition.
- Yasuhito Sekine
- , Katsuhiko Suzuki
- & Teruyuki Maruoka
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Long-term projections and acclimatization scenarios of temperature-related mortality in Europe
The sensitivity of human populations to rising global temperatures is not yet fully understood. The authors describe the link between temperature and daily mortality in over 200 European regions and calculate projections of mortality from climate models under greenhouse gas scenario simulations.
- Joan Ballester
- , Jean-Marie Robine
- & Xavier Rodó
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Helium penetrates into silica glass and reduces its compressibility
SiO2 glass and helium are important in various fields of science and engineering. Sato et al. show SiO2glass to be less compressible in helium under high pressure, which may be relevant for the interpretation of high-pressure experiments and in the design of new materials.
- Tomoko Sato
- , Nobumasa Funamori
- & Takehiko Yagi
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Melt migration in basalt columns driven by crystallization-induced pressure gradients
The internal textures of columnar-jointed lava flows and intrusions are poorly understood. Mattssonet al. propose a melt-migration model for Icelandic basalt driven by crystallization and volume decrease inside cooling columns, which explains the macroscopic features observed in columnar-jointed basalts.
- Hannes B. Mattsson
- , Luca Caricchi
- & Ann M. Hirt
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| Open AccessSouth China Sea hydrological changes and Pacific Walker Circulation variations over the last millennium
Tropical Pacific hydrology affects the global climate through the strength of the Pacific Walker Circulation. Yanet al. reconstruct variations in the Pacific Walker Circulation in the South China Sea over the last millennium and find that less precipitation fell during warmer and more rainfall during cool periods.
- Hong Yan
- , Liguang Sun
- & Wenhan Cheng
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| Open AccessMapping the evolving strain field during continental breakup from crustal anisotropy in the Afar Depression
The spatial and temporal scales over which continental breakup occurs by mechanical deformation and magma intrusion remain controversial. Keiret al. quantify anisotropy across the Afar Triple Junction using S-wave splitting from earthquakes to evaluate the strain in a region of continental breakup.
- Derek Keir
- , M. Belachew
- & J.V. Rowland
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Prevailing oxic environments in the Pacific Ocean during the mid-Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Event 2
The second oceanic anoxic event occurred 94 million years ago and constituted a very large perturbation of the Earth's carbon cycle. Here, the authors study carbon isotopes and degrees of pyritization and demonstrate that, unlike other oceans, the Pacific remained oxygenated for most of this period.
- Reishi Takashima
- , Hiroshi Nishi
- & Keiichi Hayashi
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| Open AccessMultiple S-isotopic evidence for episodic shoaling of anoxic water during Late Permian mass extinction
A final catastrophe killed 90% of marine species at the end of the Permian period, but significant biodiversity loss preceded this event. In this study, sulphur isotope evidence suggests that incursion of anoxic water into shallow regions may have contributed to biodiversity loss.
- Yanan Shen
- , James Farquhar
- & Boswell A. Wing
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New silica clathrate minerals that are isostructural with natural gas hydrates
Clathrates are minerals with cage-like structural voids that can be filled by guest species; three types are plausible but only one has been observed in nature. Mommaet al. have discovered the remaining two types in Japanese marine sediments, and determined their structural similarity to natural gas hydrates.
- Koichi Momma
- , Takuji Ikeda
- & Yasuhiro Kudoh
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Historical land use change has lowered terrestrial silica mobilization
Continental export of silicon to the coast is linked to ocean carbon sinks, but terrestrial silicon fluxes have not been quantified. Here, human deforestation and cultivation of the landscape are shown to be the most important factors in silicon mobilization in temperate European watersheds.
- Eric Struyf
- , Adriaan Smis
- & Patrick Meire